


A Court of Betraying and Darkness

by FicFromDenmark



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:36:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28477782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FicFromDenmark/pseuds/FicFromDenmark
Summary: Elizabeth has always liked fighting, and her brother has been training her since she was young. But then everything in her life chances when her father moves her to another Illyrian camp. When they try to cut her wings off, she is barely saved by Cassian. He takes her to Velaris, where she gets a guest room. When she thinks she is finally settling down, Chris, Feyre and Rhysands son, turns her life upside down again.
Relationships: Elizabeth & Azriel, Elizabeth & Cassian, Elizabeth & Rhysand, Elizabeth/Chris
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

I look down the cliff. There’s a thick layer of ice on top of the river. It would be so easy just to jump… I balance at the side of the cliff. But it’s the easy way. I never chose the easy way.  
“Beth!” I sigh. “What are you doing up here?” I turn around and see Mathias. “Nothing.” His silver eyes drill into mine. “It’s not your time to die.” I nod.” I know that. I wasn’t going to jump.”  
“Come on.” he turns around, waiting for me to follow him. My perfect brother. He has everything I want to have. And he gets to fight. They almost never let me.  
“Where are we going?” I ask, knowing I should be grateful. He lets me fight with him. “The kitchen needs you.” I look at the snow-covered path. “You know I suck in the kitchen.” He throw a glance over his shoulders.  
“You're sixteen, Beth. You’re gonna have to get a job soon - and not one as an illyrian warrior.” I know he’s right.  
I see the lights burning at the camp. Some of them went out, probably because of the snow. There’s so much this year.  
The so-called kitchen is a small tent. It’s always so stressful there, Illyrian warriors are always hungry.  
“Elizabeth!” A woman yells. I hate when people call me by my real name. “Where have you been?” I mumble something unintelligible. She shakes her head in disappointment and guides me inside.  
I chop carrots for the next two hours. At least that’s what it feels like. I don’t have a number of how many times I cut myself, but no one seems to care anyways.  
“Hey,” a soft and girly voice says. I turn around and see Anna. She’s the perfect girl. She cares about make-up and dresses, she doesn’t like to fight, she does what she’s told. She’s boring. But she’s the closest I’ve got to a friend. She’s a year younger than me, but she’s much more ready for a job than I am.  
“Hi.” I try to look uninterested, hoping to scare her off. But it doesn’t work. “Have you got a job yet?” She knows I hate talking about this. Sometimes I wonder if my parents send her to be a good influence to me. I wouldn’t be surprised.  
“Not yet.” I cut my hand again, and the small drops of blood drop on the carrots. I look at it, somehow satisfied. This is a man’s world. They want to see me bleed, and they're going to make me one way or another.  
But I won’t give up on this, won’t give up on my life. At least not yet. You only get one, right? “Beth,” Anna says. “You’re bleeding.” I smile at her. “I’m fine.” She looks at me with a weird face expression. Maybe I shouldn't be smiling?  
“I-” she starts, probably not sure how to react. “I should probably go.” I nod. “That’s probably best.” I watch her golden black hair in her perfect plait. I wish I was more like her. My life would be so much easier.


	2. Chapter 2

“Come on. You can do this.” Mathias looks me in my eyes, knowing I’m both stronger and faster than him. Better than most in this camp. I can feel an adrenaline rush coming up. I clench my hands.   
We kind of have a deal: He lets everyone think he’s better than me, but he teach me how to fight.   
He attacks first. He knows that if he knocks me out first, he will stand a chance. But I ward off his blows. Faster than his eyes can notice, I attack him. I alternately punch and kick him, until he moans and stutters: “stop.” We both know I need a better teacher. He doesn’t stand a chance, he never has.  
“I talked to dad yesterday.” I look at him, nervous. A person who always knows how to destroy me is my father. I hate him. I truly hate him, with all of my heart.  
“He said you have two days left in this camp.” I look at him in shock. “What?” He looks at me in pity.   
“He found another camp for you. It has a great kitchen. It’s a good opportunity for you, Beth.” I let myself fall down in the snow. I can feel it melt under me, but I couldn’t care less. “Away?” I ask, not really understanding this.   
“Well… You get further away from dad.” I look at him, suddenly mad. No, I’m furious. “What?! And you just said yes? Without hesitating? Do you want to get rid of me?” I stand up as he looks at me. “Beth…”he starts, but I cut him off.   
“No. I don’t want to hear any excuses.” I run away, my wings shaking sensitive in the cold. 

The next couple of days go by fast. I’m not going to say goodbye, I don’t want to see anyone's relieved faces. Don’t want to get yet another reminder of how few people care about me. I don’t think anyone actually does. My brother is probably just faking.  
“Elizabeth.” My heart sinks when I hear my fathers voice. I haven’t seen him for a long time, and I probably won’t see him until my wedding. If I ever get one. When I turn around, I see a horse by his side. Are we supposed to ride there?  
“Father,” I say, with the most perfect sound I can perform. “Why don’t we just fly there? My flying skills have improved a lot.” He looks at me, his eyes filled with disappointment.   
“I’m not going with you, Elizabeth.” Oh, of course he isn’t. His daughter is going away and he probably won’t see me for years. But why should he do more than just wawe in disappointment? It would at least spare me for hours with him.   
A man is standing by another horse, and I’m pretty sure he’ll guide me. My father leaves without saying anything more.  
“What’s your name?” I ask the guard. “Phillip.”   
He doesn't say anything else for the next four hours. No matter what I ask him, he doesn’t respond. When the sun starts setting Phillip stops his horse. “We will rest now.” I dismount the horse. I can see a small cave, half covered in snow. He ties the horses to a tree and starts digging.  
“Why can’t we just fly?” I ask, staring at his beautiful bat-like wings. “Your father has given me clear instructions.” His voice is cold and calm, and I feel bad for his wife. To live with that soldier…   
“He would never know,” I say, even though I know I’ve lost. “Go to sleep. I will chop some wood.” A watch him as he turns around with the axe in his hands. I look up at the star-speckled sky. They shine so bright. Maybe I should just fly away. Live in the forest, hunting animals. I could do it. I would die young, but happy. It would probably be my only chance to ever be happy.   
I don’t know if I should go to sleep or not. It’s easier to kill people while they sleep, and I want to stay alive. I lay down in the cinner of the cave. I roll myself into a ball to keep heated. I don’t cry. I never cry.


	3. Chapter 3

It is evening when we arrive, and I have my few belongings in a tiny bag. It’s mostly clothes. I like the thought of having a thing I inherited from my mother, but I don’t. I don’t own anything personal.  
The guard, Phillip, just turns around without a word. He has both the horses - there’s no chance of my escape now.  
“Elizabeth?” A sharp woman's voice asks. I nod. “Yes. But please call me Beth.” Her hand hits me faster than I can react. I gasp. “I’ll call you whatever I want to call you.” She turns around, and I follow her, ashamed. Am I that little worth?   
“You’ll sleep in there.” She points a small tent out. I walk inside to see four small spaces. I probably share it with three other girls.  
The ‘bed’ is made of a bit of hay. It is bloody, but I throw my stuff on it anyway.   
“You will help cooking in tent number five.” My heart sinks when I hear the word cooking. I had hoped it was something else, anything else. Even cleaning is better.  
No one talks to me when I open the tent. I know I will hate it here, for the rest of my life. A couple of girls are cooking and talking. It’s like something is wrong with them, but I can’t point it out.  
“You there,” one of the girls says and points me out. “Chop some carrots.” Really? Always carrots. It’s probably because I’m… Well, I can’t do anything, and chopping carrots is one of the easiest jobs. When I start chopping, I instantly get the feeling that there’s something wrong again. And then I see it. Instead of wings, there’s scars. “No,” I whisper. He knew. Mathias knew. That’s what they do in this camp. Chop the girls wings off like I chop carrots. I drop the knife on the table and earn all the girls attention. They look at me with weird expressions. I run out of the tent, need to feel the fresh air against my wings, to know I still have them. Tears roll down my cheeks for the first time in… My life, I think. I can’t lose my wings. They mean everything to me.  
“What do we have here?” I turn around to see three Illyrian warriors standing, just looking at me.  
“Come here, little girl.” I take a couple of steps backwards, knowing I have to run. Else they’ll catch me. I turn around and start running. “Stop, little girl. Know your place.” I gasp as my foot falls down in an icy hole. It breaks through the ice, and I gasp again as the ice-cold water touches my bare skin between my pants and my shoes. I unsuccessfully try to wrench myself free.   
“Know your place,” one of the men repeats as he comes closer with a huge knife in his hand. “No,” I whisper. “Please don’t.” The man laughs cold and terrifying and the others join him.   
When the blade of the knife touches my wing, I scream. I scream for someone to hear me, to help me. But who should? The knife cuts deeper and deeper.   
And then the pain stops. Or, it doesn't stop, it just doesn't get worse. It's still there, as a constant reminder that I should've jumped when I had the chance.   
“What the hell are you bastards doing?” A rough looking guy with black, shoulder-length hair looks at me with angry eyes. My vision is blurred and the pain indescribable. I don’t hear what the guys answer, but they step away from me. The rough guy lifts me up, as if I didn’t weigh more than a feather. An ice-cold gust of wind hits my wing and I scream. Everything then becomes black.


	4. Chapter 4

“Are her wings gonna be alright?” I can hear someone cough. “They’ll be healed in a couple of weeks. Her bone structure is strong. She clearly knows how to take care of herself.” Someone coughs again.   
“She’s awake.” Then I recognize the voice. What the hell are you bastards doing, it said. Someone coughs again. Is it me? Am I the one coughing?  
“I’ll give her something sedative and pain-relieving.” What’s going on? Where am I?  
“Everything is going to be alright.” I open my left eye half and look at the man who talked. I don’t recognise him, but he looks like he knows what he’s doing. I close my eyes again, not sure when I’ll open them again. Not sure if I will.

When I wake up, my left wing is burning. It actually feels okay, much better than before, in spite of the burning feeling. I open my eyes and try to sit up, but instantly regret it because of the burning feeling, which somehow gets worse when I sit up. I let myself fall down in the bed again, wondering where I am.   
“Good, you’re awake.” A woman's voice says. It is both hard and soft at once. I groan and instantly expect a slap. “Where am I?” I look at her face, which is old and full of wrinkles. It smiles at me. “You’re in Velaris.” I gasp, not sure if she’s joking. Velaris, the City of Starlight. I’ve seen a painting once, but only dreamed of actually going there. I try to sit up again, wanting to look out of a window, but it still hurts. Instead I feel on my wing with my hand. It is bound in a bandage.  
“Hello.” I turn around to see the rough guy looking at me. I instantly move backwards until my back touches the wall. “Please don’t hurt me.” His eyes darken and he takes a step closer.  
“I’m not here to hurt you,” he starts. “I don’t think we got introduced. I’m Cassian.” He sighs when I don't answer. “I understand that you’re scared. I would be too. But I’m not your enemy. It will make this a lot easier if you realize that.” I look into his hazel eyes. After all, he saved me from those men.  
“I’m Elizabeth.” He nods. “What happened?” He asks, in a soft voice that doesn’t match his look at all. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. “You can tell me,” he says, still in the soft voice.  
“They were going to cut off my wings,” I finally manage to whisper.   
“But why?”  
“Everyone in that camp get them cut off. It was my first day there, and I didn’t know that.” He bites his lip. “Why were you there?”  
“My family sent me there.”   
“I’m-” he starts, but I cut him off. “I don’t need your pity.” He becomes distanced, as if he’s not in this room.  
“Are you okay?” He shakes his head, as if to get out of where he was. “I’m fine. You just… Remind me of someone.” He smiles at me, but the smile is clearly fake.   
“When you have healed enough to walk, just come to the House of Wind.” I furrow my brows. “Isn’t that where the High Lord lives?” He looks at me with a smirk on his face. Then he just leaves, without another word. The nurse shakes her head.   
“Has he always been like that?” I ask, and she sends me a short smile. “Yes.”


	5. Chapter 5

I can walk completely normally a couple of days later. Even though it’s embarrassing that people see me like this, I know I have to get out of here. I asked the nurse what my treatment costed, but she said the tab would be sent to Cassian. I didn’t object. How should I get the money? My family would definitely not pay for it.  
I walk down the stairs, and everyone I pass smile at me. It’s probably just what they’ve been told to do.   
It is around midnight when I walk out the door, and I understand why it’s called the City of Starlight. A river goes straight through the city and the stars reflect in the water. In one direction is majestic mountains, it must be to the north. I remember looking at a map over the Night Court once. A bit north-east is the Illyrian kingdom. My home.  
I look at the houses. Most of them have blue-green copper roofs. I wish I could call this place for home. I see the huge House of Wind. It’s built into one of the mountains. It looks like the mountain has been crowned in gold. It’s beautiful.   
When I start walking I feel the air. It’s unusually hot - probably warmed up by magic. It’s late, and I don’t want to wake anyone up, so I just lean against the wall beside the entrance door.   
I stare at the stars for the rest of the night. The doors open when the sun just starts rising and a man walks out. He looks at me. He has Hazel eyes and black hair, just like Cassian, and the most Illyrians. But his appearance is different. He is quiet, can't be distinguished from the surroundings. He looks at me, his eyes drill into mine.   
“What are you doing here?” His voice is calm and warningly at the same time. Shadows dance around him, moves as he does. Fascinating.  
“Um…” What should I say? That I was invited by a complete stranger? He’s really scary, and I don’t think he will believe me.   
“I was just leaving.” I turn around but he grabs my arm. I turn around, way faster than a normal fay. “You’re Illyrian.” My heart beats faster as I prepare to defend myself. But he looks so experienced… I don’t think I could beat him. But maybe, if I attacked him, I would be fast enough to fly away… But my wing. I can’t fly with my wings when one of them is broken.   
“What are you doing here?” He repeats. When I still don’t answer, his grip tightens. I can see what he’s going to do before he does it. He will pull me inside. I twist his arm around and he lets go of me. But I don’t get more than a few steps, before I feel his arm against my neck.   
“Don’t try to fight me,” he whispers into my ear. My breathing gets faster and faster as he pulls me inside the building. He pulls me through hallway after hallway, room after room. He finally lets go of me in a huge room with two other men. I walk backwards until I reach the wall behind me, looking at the men one after one. One of them is… Cassian. I don’t recognize the other. Although, there is something familiar about him.  
“She was sneaking around outside.” To my surprise, Cassian laughs.   
“Great job, spymaster,” he starts. “You managed to catch my guest.” The so-called ‘spymaster’ looks away from me and over at Cassian. But I have a feeling that he still sees every movement I make. “Your what?” He and the other man say at the same time.   
“I found her at the Illyrian camp I visited a couple of days ago.” The familiar looking guy squints. “And you just took her with you home and dropped her somewhere in Velaris?” Cassian rolls his eyes. “Come on, Rhys, she was hurt. She needed medical help.” Wait. Rhys? As in Rhysand? The high lord?! I look at him with big eyes. “Wait,” I say, and they all turn around and look at me. “Rhysand?” I manage to say and he nods. “Are you…” My eyes grow ewen wider as he nods again.   
“Do you need to get back? To your family?” I don’t answer. I’ve heard rumors about him.  
“Please stay out of my mind.” He looks at me, clearly confused. “What?” He asks, and I feel relieved. It’s maybe just rumours.  
“Okay,” he says, and I suddenly can’t control my breathing. It’s true. He can kill me without moving an inch. “Oh no,” I whisper. This can’t be happening. He could be inside my head right now. He probably is.   
“Listen,” Rhysand says. “I-” but Cassian interrupts. “I’ll take care of this. I brought her into this.” They look at each other, as if they were speaking without words. Maybe they are. Inside Cassian's head.  
Then Rhysand nods and leaves, closed followed by the spymaster. They are talking in a low voice, so I can’t hear the words.  
“Listen,” Cassian says. The exact same word Rhysand said. “I know this is scary. I don’t know what you have been exposed to, I can only imagine. But I know what it’s like. I know what it’s like to be the hated one out there, the unwanted.” I don’t know what to say, so I just don't say anything. But I force my breathing to become normal, or at least more normal.   
“You can get one of the guest rooms.” I force myself to nod. He walks out of the door, but then turns around again. “Don’t mind Az. He’s just trying to protect Velaris. He had a… Troubled raising as well.” He smiles at me as he walks away from me. His Illyrian wings touch the walls but he doesn’t seem to care.   
I stay against the wall for a couple of minutes before I move. I walk through the hallways, but find myself lost fast. It’s a confusing mass of hallways and rooms.   
When I turn around in a corner, I bump into someone.   
“Sorry,” he says. I’m not, so I don’t say anything. “Excuse me, but who are you?” I look into his eyes, not sure what to answer. Who am I? And then I see it. His Blue-black hair is just the same as Rhysand’s. Is he his son? And more important: does he have his fathers gift?  
“I’m just visiting.” He looks at me, his eyes shrinking together. “You don’t know this house very well, do you?” I shake my head.   
“This is a private library.” I look around and see books. Books everywhere. “But really, who are you?” I look at him, judgingly.  
“Can’t you just find the answer in my mind?” He looks down. I don’t think he can. Either just can’t do it, or haven’t inherited the power.  
“My name is Elizabeth.” He looks at me. “Call me Chris. Are you looking for something?” I nod. “The guest rooms.” He points in the direction I came from. “That way. I’ll follow you.” We walk for a couple of minutes in silence, and I decide I won’t be the one to break it.  
“Are you Illyrian?” I nod again. “What happened to your wing?” I squeeze my eyes together. “Why do you care?” I look at him for response, but he just shrugs. Provocative.   
“It’s right there.” I nod. I should probably thank him. “Thank you.” He laughs. “You don’t mean that.” I smile wryly. “Bye.” I open a random door and go in there, hoping no one's in there. Fortunately, no one is. I fling myself on the softly bed. It smells like roses. I suddenly feel exhausted and I close my eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

I wake up as someone knocks at the door. I stand up, not caring that I look like shit. I open the door, just to stare into Azriel’s eyes. I close the door again, but he places his foot on the doorframe. “Please,” he says. The shadows billow lightly around him. He lets himself in.   
“I’m sorry,” he says, without further introduction. “I thought you were someone else. A spy, maybe. I didn’t know Cassian invited you.” I look grumpy at him. Did he wake me just for this? “It’s okay.” He looks at me, clearly surprised. I just want to get rid of him. “I’ve tried worse.” I give him a false and annoyed smile and he walks hesitating out. I slam the door and go back to bed. But I can’t fall back asleep, so I get up instead. I go to the bathroom to brush my hair. It looks absolutely awful. It is not easy to brush it, but at the end I succeed. And then: Another knocking at the door. I sigh when I open the door.  
“Rhysand,” I say with a cold voice. He smiles self-confident. “Please. Call me Rhys.”   
“Call me Beth.” He sends me another self-confident smile. “Do your friends call you that?” I don’t have any friends. But I don’t say that. Of course not.  
“No. My enemies just don’t.” His smile is not gone.  
“So I’m not your enemy?” I shrink my eyes together. “I don’t think I want you as my enemy.” He laughs shortly. “Smart.”   
“Bye.” His smile disappears.   
“Wait,” he starts. “I don’t go into anyone's minds. Only if I have to.” I shrink my eyes together again. “And when do you cross that line?” He clearly feels uncomfortable. “You do that a lot.”   
“Do what?” I ask, confused.  
“Shrink your eyes like that.”   
“I don’t do that.” Do I? “Goodbye, Rhysand.” I pronounce his name so he clearly hears it. I slam the door again. Can’t I get a movement of privacy?  
I go inside the bathtub, slowly taking off my clothes. I let myself slide down in the hot water, enjoying it fully. I haven’t taken a shower for a long time. I must stink.   
Bubbles are covering my body. I smile.

I stayed in the bathtub until all the bubbles were gone. My hair is in a ponytail, so it will probably take a long time before it dries. I found an old key, so when I leave the room I lock the door.   
I walk through the hallways, trying to get familiar with them so that I can recognize them.  
I stop when I hear deadened voices.  
“She has quicker reflexes than anyone I’ve ever seen.” It’s Azriel, the spymaster.  
“Oh, so that’s why you dragged her inside?” Cassian's voice, ironic as always.  
“I didn't-” Azriel sighs. “Look, I’m sorry.” I should probably walk away before they see me, but what if they say anything more?   
I hear steps behind me and turn around fast. It’s Chris. He doesn’t say anything. Probably doesn't know what to say. I put a finger to my lips, and he nods, understanding that I want him to be quiet. Hopefully. I can hear fast and loud steps come nearer, probably Cassian’s. I start walking towards him, but Chris walks the opposite way. I grab his arm and pull him towards the steps. If he walked away, it would mean he passed them. And since he didn’t, they would instantly know that we listened to them talk.   
Our eyes meet as we pass Cassian. He opens his mouth as if he wants to say anything, but then I’m past him. Azriel nods at us when we pass him. I don’t nod back.  
I realize I’m still holding Chris’ arm and quickly lets go.  
“I should probably go.” I look away from Chris and down at the floor. “Wait,” he says. I look at him. “Who are you? You clearly know both Cassian and Azriel.” What should I respond to him?   
“I’ll go.” His blue-gray eyes get filled with disappointment as I walk away. I shake my head to get him out of it. I don’t know why I’m even thinking about him.   
I walk through the hallways, trying to get it all in my mental map. I don’t really succeed, but it’s better than nothing. then I just suddenly want to sit down. I sit up against the wall, just thinking.  
What the hell am I supposed to do with my life?


	7. Chapter 7

Around ten o’clock, according to the big watch hanging on the wall, I hear a knocking at the door. Why do they constantly do that? Why can’t they just leave me alone?  
It’s Cassian. “Good morning,” he says.  
“What do you want?” He smiles at me. “Can you fight?” He asks. I freeze. Is this a test? Am I supposed to be a good and decent girl and say no?  
“It depends.”   
“Didn’t you train with the other girls?” I look down at the floor.  
“No. I wasn’t allowed to.” I clearly remember me smashing one of the other girls' noses when I was six years old.   
“But can you fight?” I shrug. I see his hit before he strikes. His hand is coming towards my stomach, fast. I spin around to avoid his hit. He smiles self-confident. “It certainly looks like you can.”   
“Bastard.” He grins. “I can train you, if you want. I don’t know how long you’ll be staying in Velaris, but probably for a while.” I squeeze my eyes together, but instantly stop, remembering Rhysands’ words. “Why would you?” I ask.  
“I think you have potential.” It’s a good opportunity for me. It might be my only chance to fight with a worthy opponent. Not just my brother.   
My brother.  
What has he done? What have I done? I don’t think we’ll ever get the relationship we had.  
“Elizabeth,” Cassian says in a soft voice. “You’re not breathing.” I realize I stopped breathing, so I start breathing again.  
“Okay.” He raises his eyebrows. “You can come by at any time. I’m a lot out of town, so I’m not always home.”   
“Okay.” He smiles as he leaves the room. When should I come? I don’t want to look desperate.  
I leave the room a couple of minutes later. I walk up the stairs, up and up and up and up. I see a wooden door as I reach the top, and I open it. I am almost at the top of the cliff, and if I want to get higher, I’ll have to climb. So I climb. It’s easy to find the right steps, even though it’s icy. It’s snowing, and the snowflakes slowly melt on my hands. I lean over the edge, looking down the cliff. I let my left leg go just over the edge. But I won’t take a step forward. I won’t…  
A hand grips my shirt from behind and pulls me back. I turn around, ready to fight, to throw the person down the cliff. But it’s just Chris.  
“What the hell are you doing?” His eyes drill into mine. “Why on earth would you even consider that?” He looks mad.  
“My life is not worth living.” I can’t tell if he’s going to punch or comfort me. “Let’s get down from here.” He climbs first, waiting for me to follow him. His hands are constantly ready to catch me.  
He climbs slowly, but I can’t tell if he waits for me or just doesn’t can’t climb faster.   
He opens the wooden door and pulls me inside. “This is messed up,” he starts. “Why were you there? I have to tell my parents.” He starts walking away, but I grab his hand. “What were you doing up there?” He freezes. “That's irrelevant.” I smile. “They don’t know, do they?” He looks down at the floor. “Do you want them to know?” He walks a step closer, so we aren’t more than a few inches away from each other. “Are you threatening me?” I simply nod. “Yes. And I’m not scared of what you will do.” This time he’s the one shrinking his eyes together. At that movement, I want to lean against him and press my lips against his. He’s so close, it would be so easy… I lean backwards and start walking away, faster than I probably should. We are not meant to be together. I’m not the right one for him, even if he’s the right one for me. I don’t deserve him.  
A surge of grief hits me. Some boy I just met cares more about me than my brother. My only friend. I have a feeling that I should stay away from Chris. After all, Cassian let me in here and Rhysand let me stay. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be too happy if I dated his son. I sigh. This is getting more and more complicated.


End file.
